


True, true, true.

by lovexender



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: F/M, First Kiss, Friendship/Love, I'm Bad At Tagging, Love Confessions, Nightmares, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, True Love, breath of the wild - Freeform, paya is a strong female character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-16 10:14:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29452143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovexender/pseuds/lovexender
Summary: Paya couldn't help herself, falling in love with him. The way his eyes glittered, his smile. No words needed to be spoken, his comfort was more than enough.
Relationships: Link/Paya (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 24





	True, true, true.

**Author's Note:**

> Requested by: DrSkeletor!
> 
> I should have really written more, also this isn't edited. I might come back and revise this, but I hope you guys enjoy!

Kakariko village was not an unfamiliarity to Link. He had been there on multiple occasion. From when he first woke up in this strange prophecy of his, his eyes blurred and confused as to what happening, all he knew was Kakariko village was a place where answers lied.

And lied they did, as he visited Impa for the first time. She had been delighted to see him, albeit shocked that then was he decided to appear.

Impa told him of the history of which he forgot. He forgot everything, his head clouded with the only vision being a destiny of his.

His mission. Defeat and conquer the divine beats, talk to the Champions progressive leaders, the new Champions.

He stayed in Kakariko village for some time after that. Wrapping his head around his so-called mission was stressful, to say the least.

From walking between the early mornings before the sun rose, he couldn’t help but map the entire village in his head. If you had asked him, it would seem he would be able to tell you where each individual blade of grass was.

Talking to Impa was… draining. He felt the burden on his shoulders already, and each time he felt himself entering her abode, hi stomach would drop and heart would begin to race.

Day after day, he would slowly but surely gain more knowledge about the world and it’s happenings. He learned more about the Great Calamity, the history behind Ganon, a familiar word that he couldn’t quite remember.

It was only one evening that he stood outside of Impa’s house-if you could call it that, dreading stepping foot into another one of Impa’s puzzling memory games. His heart would race, and though he was learning more, and very grateful to Impa about it, he hated-absolutely hated feeling weak.

His hand raised to knock on the door, but a quiet and timid voice interrupted him from doing so.

“Impa is sleeping, so you don’t need to fret about arriving on time…”

He turned his head to look, and was greeting by a girl.

The girl was a tad taller than him, though she stood five paces away. She was blushing like a madwomen. Usually, Link would blame it on the sun and the heat, seeing the women he passed in Kakariko village, but knowing more about his history and past didn’t let him live in blissful ignorance.

He blinked, lowering the hand he was going to use to knock on the door.

The girl jumped, shaking her head. “I’m terribly sorry for intruding! I should introduce myself… my name is Paya…”

Paya blushed, twirling her thumbs in front of her as she stepped into view, letting Link observe her further.

She looked alot like Impa; maybe if Impa was younger perhaps. Her white hair was partly up in a bun, ornate chopsticks holding it together. Her eyes looked grayish, although brown hues picked up in the sunlight, reflecting off of her, making her hair shine a platinum blonde.

What Link really noticed was the tattoo on the forehead. It was of an eye, something Link could remember, though not exactly place a finger on.

“Paya…” Link spoke quietly, testing out her name on his lips. Paya widened her eyes, and she swore he would be able to hear it.

“W-well… yes. I’m Impa’s granddaughter… She is asleep… (I already said that, get it together Paya!) She’s asleep, though I w-will gladly help you if, um, you need something?”

Link smiled softly, his own heart beating in his chest. Something about her caused him to warm, something he hadn’t felt in… ever. He shook his head, already making his way down the stairs.

Paya slowly waved goodbye, a heart over her chest.

—

Link knew what he had to do. He knew what was expected of him, very well in fact. It had been weeks he had been slacking off. From learning with Impa, from talking to Paya afterwards, it was time for him to set off on his journey. The journey to save the world, it seemed.

He left quietly in the night after stopping by the general store, with no trace of him ever being there. He didn’t see Paya standing behind a pillar, watching him in quiet as she muttered prayer of his safety, to whatever god there was.

—

It could have been years, months, or days. Time hadn’t seemed like anything to Paya anymore. She sat crosslegged with Impa, writing down notes of whatever had happened that day.

She found her mind wandering to Link. How exactly long had it been since he had left the village? Kakariko was a very sheltered place, and didn’t bare much to know about the outside happenings of Hyrule.

Paya was forced to talk to vendors and merchants that passed by, asking about whatever was going on. Was there war? Any events that had taken place?

The more she learned, the more she grew worried. Link was a legend, a legend she had known ever since she was a child. And even though she hadn’t left the village in all her life, she could understand the burden and the absolute stress Link was going through.

She wanted nothing but to see him again. Paya felt silly, falling in love with someone who she spent no more than a few weeks with. But with her heart in her throat, talking with Link felt more safe and lively than breathing.

And she thought, that maybe somehow, Link might just love her too.

That was what she was thinking about as it poured rain outside, and she had stopped writing words all together, and beginning to doodle silly hearts and fruits in the margins of the paper.

Thunder struck, and almost immediately after, the door swung open.

Paya was on her feet immediately once she spotted the familiar locks of blond hair, tied together loosely in a ponytail.

Link looked absolutely ragged. His clothing was town, a new sword that pays instantly recognized as the master sword was acting as a sort of crutch for him.

“Mas- Link!”

She caught him just before he hit the ground, his mind and his body falling asleep all at once, much to her distain.

—

Link was hurt. And he was hurt bad.

He knew that, the way his stomach twisted as the gash in his leg continued to bleed. Dammit, just how ignorant and foolish was he, taking on that Guardian like that? He assumed that because it couldn’t move from its place in the rubble, it would be quick to take out and retrieve what he needed.

He was very, very wrong.

And he wasn’t dumb. He knew he was sick, the rain pouring down. It was just a cold, he told himself. He pushed and pushed, until he was on a horse running, running to wherever he knew was safe.

Safety, that’s all he needed.

—

“He has a fever, child.” Impa herself had spoke, after Paya had helped him into a nearby inn. She had originally wanted him to stay at Impa and her’s place, but there wasn’t nearly enough room.

“How can I take care of him? Am I allowed to s-stay with Master Link? I would like to m-make sure nothing harmful comes to him…” Paya trailed off, as she slung his arm over her shoulder.

Impa nodded, not leaving her position on the pillow. “Take good care of him, Paya. I have full trust that you will take the greatest of care of Master Link.”

Paya nodded, and made her way to the Inn with Link. He had woken up halfway through, and had attempted to walk by himself. Paya had instantly reprimanded him, despite the ache and fever in her chest.He allowed her to help him walk, but still supported his weight.

She had managed to get him laid on a bed, after persuading the inn manager to let them stay for free. He was Master Link, of course.

— 

It had been around and hour since arriving, and she was carefully helping him through his fever. A wet cloth was in her hands, dotting at his forehead, his eyebrows etched in furrow as he fidgeted in his sleep.

Oh, she had wanted nothing more than to take his pain away. She had known how bad a fever could get.She would gladly take on this pain for herself, and do it by herself as well. The last thing she wanted was to trouble him.

But, all she could do was help as she could. And Paya understood that, more than anything. Of course she had, pondering over whatever he was doing in her entire waking moments.

He had finally quieted down, his body still and face looking rather calm. Whatever was bothering him in his sleep was passed, and Paya felt herself grow calmer as she lowered the cloth in the water once again, squeezing it, then laying it back on his forehead.

It was nearly morning. Just how much time had passed? 

She hummed, crossing her arms as she nestled in her chair. Gods knows how long she had been awake. She was useless to take care of him if she didn’t take care of herself as well.

The minute the closed her eyes, she counted to 100 before she felt herself drifting off into a restless sleep.

—

When she had woken up, Link wasn’t in the bed. He wasn’t anywhere in the room, at all.The only thing out of place was the door opened wide, the dark from the hallway seeping into the room.

She jumped to her feet, grasping onto the doorway as she sprinted down the hall, and quickly made haste downstairs.

What she wasn’t expecting was what she was greeted with.

Her feet hit the bottom of the stairs, the Inn closed. The manager had went home for the night, the lights all off.

Link sat against a wall, clutching the sword he had used as a crutch. He wasn’t gripping it like a sword. Instead, his arms were wrapped around it tightly, so tightly that Paya worried it would cut through his clothing and pierce his skin.

When she got closer to him, her eyes filled with tears at his state. Bags under his eyes, as if he hadn’t got any rest. They were closed tight, the only sign that they were alright were his cheeks, stained with wet tears.

She fell to her knees in front of him, feeling his temperature first. It had gone down by some, but it was still apparent that he was sick.

“Link, are you alright? What are y-you doing down here at this hour?” She softly ran her hands through his hair, shocked at how matted it had become.

He didn’t respond, only continuing to murmur quietly.

“I couldn’t… couldn’t save them. Couldn’t.Not her. She, her. Save her, no. No.”

That was almost all she could make out from his quieted babbling.

She could see how distressed he was. She didn’t know what was troubling him, and there wasn’t any way for her to get through to him.

So, she did the only thing she knew how. She carefully wrapped her arms around him, pulling him to her.She held on tight, not tight that it felt restrained, but tight enough that Link felt safe. That he knew he was alright.

Moments passed before the thud of the sword fell upon the wooden floor, and Link had wrapped his arms around her waist. He wasn’t sobbing as loud, but quiet sniffles were muffled by her clothing.

Paya had a passing memory. Her mother, sitting on her rocking chair, like she always would. Paya was in her mothers lap, crying and sucking on her thumb as a toddler. Her mother had been holding her for a while. Paya had gotten sick, maybe as sick as Link had been. Her mother pressed a kiss against Paya’s forehead, and Paya quieted down as she snuggled closer, drifting off to her mother’s words.

Paya pressed her lips softly to Link’s forehead, a sign of comfort and reassurance.

“It’s okay, Link. I’m here. Everything’s alright, you see? You’re in my arms, nothing can get to you without getting through m-me.”

She laid her cheek against his hair, one hand softly tracing circles on his arm, the other tangled in his hair, trying to play with it, despite the mats.

They stayed like that for some time. Link had eventually pulled away, rubbing at his eyes as he yawned slightly.

“Feeling better?” Paya asked, cupping his cheek. “Sorry I wasn’t there immediately… I m-must have been… dead asleep.”

Link blinked, his eyes tired. He was very aware of how close they were, and very aware of the hand on his cheek.

He took his hand, and cupped her cheek. Someway to thank her.

Paya found it embarrassing, yet a very kind gesture. She gave a small smile, but was cut off by the press of very soft lips.

Her eyes widened immediately, although she made no attempt to push him off. But she did close her eyes, melting into Link’s embrace.

They didn’t move their lips like you would think one does, they only stayed there, memorizing the feelings they felt. She was a blushing mess, yet being held and kissed by him felt so damn right. 

Her hand went to his neck, and they parted their lips.

Link looked tired, but something in his eyes shone bright. He smiled slightly, resting his head under Paya’s chin.

“Alright, Link. Let’s get you h-healed, okay?”

He nodded, and he found himself not caring that he felt weak in that moment, not as long as she was the one making him feel that way.


End file.
